Public Information Notice - River Valley Legal Challenge
This information notice is not necessarily endorsed by the board.
From: kristine kowalchuk <kristinekowalchuk@gmail.com>
Subject: River Valley Legal Challenge
Date: December 23, 2020 at 11:30:33 AM MST
To: Kristine Kowalchuk <kristinekowalchuk@gmail.com>
Hello,
I am sending this email out to everyone I know who cares about Edmonton’s river valley. This is the only such email you will receive from me on this topic.
As you might have heard, the Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition, which I chair, has filed a legal challenge of city council’s 7-6 vote to rezone 99 acres of river valley parkland for Epcor's industrial solar farm. The ERVCC is concerned not only with the loss of important river valley habitat and parkland that this decision entails, and the opening of the river valley to industrial development that it represents, but also by the precedent established in allowing Epcor to bypass municipal regulations. This is alarming considering our water, waste water, drainage, and power are all controlled by Epcor—and it is a departure from the reassurances the city and Epcor gave to Edmontonians that transferring these utilities to their control required Epcor to remain subject to city regulations.
This is thus about the river valley, and it is also about governance of things as important as our water.
The Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition has taken a leap of faith that the people of Edmonton care so much about protecting our river valley—which he have inherited from all the protectors before us—that they will contribute to the legal challenge. We also know that Edmontonians do not appreciate the city breaking its commitments that protect the interests of Edmontonians. This legal challenge is an insistence that the city act in the best interest of the people.
We are counting on Edmontonians to support this important work. So far, we have raised $9500. But we need to raise at least $35,000. If we do not raise this money, since ERVCC is a non-profit, it will fall to me and a couple of other individuals to pay this bill. If that happens, we will not be able to continue this work of standing up for the river valley and for the public interest.
If you are in a position to do so, please consider contributing to this legal fund. You can send a donation by e-transfer to info@ervcc.com or you can send a cheque to:
ERVCC c/o
Jaynne Carre
37 Wolf Willow Crescent
Edmonton AB T5T 1T1
Please also share this message with anyone you know who loves the river valley.
If you would like to read more about this issue, here is a recent article I wrote for the Edmonton Journal on the topic: https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-solar-energy-and-protecting-biodiversity-arent-at-odds?fbclid=IwAR0GdA4CuHH2yMp1PX_t8IPD_ee6y4cYAPfCgpz43x_WFYFoeUSaDmBKUgA The photo does not do the land justice; it is a beautiful meadow surrounded by forest.
Lastly, just a reminder that if the city says no to this project, that does not mean saying no to solar—the city has directed Epcor to source 10% of its energy from renewables, so Epcor must do so—it will simply have to look outside of our river valley. And in fact, Epcor has already explored other options and admits they have alternatives.
Thank you very much, and wishing you a very happy holidays,
Kristine
